Disposable plastic gloves are manufactured according to high quality standards to protect hands and fingers from exposure to bacteria, viruses, and other contaminants commonly found in medical and hospital settings, food preparation areas, biologic engineering laboratories, electromechanical and manufacturing work, inspection industries, automotive repair, household, and so on. Gloves are also used to protect against contamination of, for example, pharmaceuticals and foods that may be handled.
Disposable plastic gloves are manufactured with several considerations in mind, such as:
1. materials costs,
2. environmental impact,
3. durability,
4. comfort,
5. sanitation,
6. ability to form a protective barrier, and
7. hypo- or non-allergenic materials.
Disposable gloves are conventionally manufactured from a mixture of polymers, typically a low density polyethylene and high density polyethylene, because of the low cost of the materials, the inertness of the materials to a wide range of chemicals, and the flexibility of the gloves over a wide range of temperatures. However, the materials used in the manufacture of disposable polyethylene gloves result in gloves that may not meet certain abovementioned requirements.
Gloves and other articles may be manufactured from different materials, such as vinyl, natural rubber latex, or synthetic latex. While each material provides certain advantages that render gloves made therefrom useful, each material also suffers certain disadvantages, as set forth in the following table.
PlasticsProConPolyethyleneHypo-allergenicEasy tearExcellent chemicalLeakage at heat sealedresistanceseamsEconomicalNot as comfortable as LatexLow environmental impactPoor dexterityCapable protective barrierVinylEconomicalAllergic reactionGood dexterityPoor barrier capabilityComfortableNot as comfortable as latexEnvironmental impactNaturalCapable protective barrierAllergic reactionRubber LatexComfortableChemical resistanceExcellent dexterityEnvironmental impactSyntheticExcellent BarrierAllergic reactionLatexcapabilityDurableEnvironmental impactExcellent dexterityNot as comfortable as latexHigh cost